Test apparatus, mobile terminal apparatus, test method

ABSTRACT

Test apparatus  100  judges a test item, and when carrying out a radio transmission characteristics test, communicates layer  3  signals with mobile terminal apparatus  150  to implement radio connection over CDMA radio interface and transmit a measurement signal. In transmitting the measurement signal, mobile terminal RLC control section  109  notifies RLC section  152  of suspension of transmission of a signaling signal, and based on the notification, RLC section  152  suspends transmission of a signaling signal and transmits only the measurement signal. It is thereby possible to carry out the radio transmission characteristics test with constant transmission power without providing the mobile terminal apparatus with a function only required for the radio transmission characteristics test.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a test apparatus, mobile terminalapparatus and test method to conduct radio transmission characteristicstest and radio function test on the mobile terminal apparatus in a CDMAmobile communication system.

2. Description of the Related Art

A mobile communication terminal in a CDMA mobile communication systemhas a function of transmitting and receiving signaling signals andfunction of transmitting and receiving user information, and thetransmission power is determined depending on the present or absence ofeach of the two kinds of signals.

In a radio transmission characteristic test in layer 1 on a mobileterminal apparatus, a test apparatus transmits a signal to be measured(hereinafter referred to as a “measurement signal”) as user informationto the mobile terminal apparatus, and the mobile terminal apparatustransmits the measurement signal as the user information to the testapparatus using the loopback function.

In the radio transmission characteristic test, it is preferable that thetransmission power is constant. However, since signaling signals aretransmitted intermittently, some measures are required to keeptransmission power constant.

In a conventional test method, a communication terminal apparatustransmits an additional signal (hereinafter referred to as “dummytransmission”) for a period during which a signaling signal is nottransmitted, and thereby keeps transmission power constant.

However, performing dummy transmission is an unnecessary function exceptthe radio transmission characteristic test, and the conventional testmethod has a problem that a mobile terminal apparatus must be providedwith the function only required for the radio transmissioncharacteristic test.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a test apparatus,mobile terminal apparatus and test method that enable the radiotransmission characteristic test to be carried out with constanttransmission power without providing the mobile terminal apparatus withthe function only required for the radio transmission characteristictest.

The object is achieved by the test apparatus which judges a type oftest, and in the radio transmission characteristic test, carries outcontrol for suspending the mobile terminal apparatus from transmitting asignaling signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one example isillustrated by way of example, in which;

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a testapparatus and mobile terminal apparatus according to one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating another configuration of a testapparatus and mobile terminal apparatus according to the aboveembodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating communication procedures for aradio transmission characteristic test on the mobile terminal apparatuscarried out by the test apparatus according to the above embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The inventor of the present invention noted that a signaling signal isunnecessary in a radio transmission characteristic test, and has reachedthe present invention. In other words, it is a subject matter of thepresent invention that a test apparatus judges a type of test, and inthe radio transmission characteristic test, carries out control forsuspending a mobile terminal apparatus from transmitting a signalingsignal.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment)

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a testapparatus and mobile terminal apparatus according to one embodiment ofthe present invention.

Test apparatus 100 in FIG. 1 is primarily comprised of protocolprocessing section 101, RLC (Radio Link Control) section 102, MAC (MediaAccess Control) section 103, layer 1 transmission section 104, layer 1reception section 105, measurement signal generating section 106, PDCP(Packet Data Convergence Protocol) section 107, measurement signaljudging section 108, mobile terminal RLC control section 109, andcontrol section 110 that controls the above-mentioned sections.

Mobile terminal apparatus 150 in FIG. 1 is primarily comprised ofprotocol processing section 151, RLC section 152, MAC section 153, layer1 transmission section 154, layer 1 reception section 155, loopbacksection 156, PDCP section 157, external interface 158, and controlsection 159 that controls the above-mentioned sections.

Transmission power measuring apparatus 200 measures the power of asignal transmitted from a mobile communication terminal apparatus toperform radio transmission characteristic evaluation.

In starting the test, a signal for instructing a test item is input tocontrol section 110 in test apparatus 100 from outside.

When the test item is of radio transmission characteristic test, testapparatus 100 transmits a layer 3 signal to establish radio connectionwith mobile terminal apparatus 150 by CDMA radio interface, and furthertransmits a measurement signal.

Protocol processing section 101 in test apparatus 100 communicates layer3 signals with protocol processing section 151 in mobile terminalapparatus 150.

Specifically, a layer 3 signal generated in protocol processing section101 is transmitted over the CDMA radio interface via RLC section 102,MAC section 103 and layer 1 transmission section 104, and is received inprotocol processing section 151 via layer 1 reception section 155, MACsection 153 and RLC section 152. Further, a layer 3 signal generated inprotocol processing section 151 is transmitted over the CDMA radiointerface via RLC section 152, MAC section 153 and layer 1 transmissionsection 154, and is received in protocol processing section 101 vialayer 1 reception section 105, MAC section 103 and RLC section 102.

In transmitting the layer 3 signal, mobile terminal RLC control section109 notifies RLC section 152 of suspension of periodical automatictransmission of STATUS_PDU (signaling signal) that is one of RLCfunctions.

The layer 3 signals are communicated between protocol processingsections 101 and 151, whereby the CDMA radio interface is set(adjustments on communication content, communication rate, etc. on layer1).

Measurement target signal generating section 106 and measurement signaljudging section 108 in test apparatus 100 communicate a measurementsignal for the radio transmission characteristic test with loopbacksection 156 in mobile terminal apparatus 150. At this point,transmission power measuring apparatus 200 receives a notificationindicating that the test condition is prepared from control section 110in test apparatus 100, and starts measuring the power.

Specifically, a measurement signal generated in measurement signalgenerating section 106 is transmitted over the CDMA radio interface viaPDCP section 107, RLC section 102, MAC section 103 and layer 1transmission section 104, and is received in loopback section 156 vialayer 1 reception section 155, MAC section 153, RLC section 152 and PDCPsection 157. The measurement signal received in loopback section 156 istransmitted in loopback according to a predetermined loopback rulespecified in advance by loopback function (hereinafter, the processingin loopback section 156 is referred to as “loopback processing”). Themeasurement signal transmitted from loopback section 156 is transmittedover the CDMA radio interface via PDCP section 157, RLC section 152, MACsection 153 and layer 1 transmission section 154, and is received inmeasurement signal judging section 108 via layer 1 reception section105, MAC section 103, RLC section 102 and PDCP section 107. Measurementtarget signal judging section 108 performs radio characteristicsevaluation based on the received measurement signal. The measurementsignal transmitted from layer 1 transmission section 154 over the CDMAradio interface is received in transmission power measuring apparatus200. Transmission power measuring apparatus 200 performs radiotransmission characteristics evaluation based on the receivedmeasurement signal.

At this point, in the loopback processing, RLC section 152 suspendstransmission of a signaling signal based on the notification from mobileterminal RLC control section 109, and transmits only the measurementsignal. As a result, uplink transmission power is kept constant.

Among methods for notifying RLC section 152 of suspension oftransmission of a signaling signal are, for example, (1) a method wheremobile terminal RLC control section 109 transmits a control signal toprotocol processing section 151 via protocol processing section 101, RLCsection 102, MAC section 103, layer 1 transmission section 104, layer 1reception section 155, MAC section 153 and RLC section 152, and protocolprocessing section 151 notifies RLC section 152 and (2) another methodwhere mobile terminal RLC control section 109 transmits a control signalto control section 159 via external interface 158, and control section159 notifies RLC section 152.

In addition, it may be possible to suspend transmission of a signalingsignal in RLC section 152 in advance before starting the test. In thiscase, as shown in FIG. 2, considered are (3), for example, a methodwhere external control apparatus 300 is connected with mobile terminalapparatus 150, transmits a control signal to control section 159 viaexternal interface 158, and control section 159 notifies RLC section152, and another method (4) where mobile terminal apparatus 150 isprovided with operation section 160 that conveys an instruction due tooperation of a user to control section 159, operation section 160transmits a control signal to control section 159, and control section159 notifies RLC section 152.

Thus, in this embodiment, a test item is judged, and in the radiotransmission characteristics test, transmission of a signaling signal issuspended in RLC section 152 in mobile terminal apparatus 150, thuskeeping the uplink transmission power constant.

In addition, during the test, control sections 110 and 159 controlsections in respective apparatuses.

Referring to the sequence diagram in FIG. 3, communication procedureswill be described for radio transmission characteristics test on themobile terminal apparatus carried out by the test apparatus according tothis embodiment.

In step 0, the test apparatus receives a notification of a test item anddetermines that the radio transmission characteristics test is selected.In step 1, the test apparatus transmits a signal of reception indicativeof start of the test to the mobile terminal apparatus. In step 2, uponreceiving the signal, the mobile terminal apparatus transmits a signalfor requesting to start radio connection over CDMA radio interface tothe test apparatus. In step 3, the test apparatus transmits a signal forrequesting to set the CDMA radio interface to the mobile terminalapparatus. In step 4, based on the signal, the mobile terminal apparatuscarries out the setting, and transmits a signal for reporting completionof setting of the CDMA radio interface. Then, in step 5, the mobileterminal apparatus transmits a response signal to the reception in step1.

It is a feature of the present invention that in step 3 suspension isset of periodical automatic transmission of STATUS_PDU (signalingsignal) from the mobile terminal apparatus.

Next, in step 6, the test apparatus transmits a signal for requesting toeliminate a layer 3 signal that is not required as a mode of the test tothe mobile terminal apparatus. In step 7, based on the signal, themobile terminal apparatus eliminates the layer 3 signal and reportscompletion of the elimination to the test apparatus.

In step 8, the test apparatus transmits to the mobile terminal apparatusa signal for requesting for setting of conditions of layers 1 and 2 totransmit a measurement signal. In step 9, based on the signal, themobile terminal apparatus carries out the setting of condition of layers1 and 2, and transmits a signal for reporting completion of the settingto the test apparatus.

In step 10, the test apparatus transmits a signal for requesting forsetting of condition to perform the loopback processing to loopbacksection 156 in the mobile terminal apparatus. In step 11, based on thesignal, the mobile terminal apparatus carries out the setting ofcondition of the loopback processing, and transmits a signal forreporting completion of the setting to the test apparatus.

Subsequently, the test apparatus carries out the radio transmissioncharacteristics test on the mobile terminal apparatus. At this point,since transmission of a signaling signal is suspended in the loopbackprocessing, the uplink transmission power is kept constant.

After finishing the test, in step 12, the test apparatus transmits asignal for releasing the loopback processing to loopback section 156 inthe mobile terminal apparatus. In step 13, based on the signal, themobile terminal apparatus releases the loopback processing, and reportsa signal for completion of the release to the test apparatus.

Finally, in step 14, the test apparatus transmits a signal for releasingthe CDMA radio interface to the mobile terminal apparatus. In step 15,based on the signal, the mobile terminal apparatus releases the CDMAradio interface, and reports a signal for completion of the release tothe test apparatus.

According to the above-mentioned communication procedures, the radiotransmission characteristics test on the mobile terminal apparatus iscompleted that is carried out by the test apparatus according to thepresent invention.

As is apparent from the foregoing, according to the present invention,when a test item is of the radio transmission characteristics test,since it is possible to suspend transmission of a signaling signal in amobile terminal apparatus, it is possible to carry out the radiotransmission characteristics test with constant transmission powerwithout providing the mobile terminal apparatus with a function onlyrequired for the radio transmission characteristics test.

The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiment,and various variations and modifications may be possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No.2003-012312 filed on Jan. 21, 2003, entire content of which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein.

1. A radio terminal apparatus in a CDMA mobile communication system thatcontrols the order of data transmission and data reception on a radiochannel, transmits a signaling signal periodically, and, whilecommunication is in progress, transmits signals applying differenttransmission powers according to the presence or absence of thesignaling signal and user information, said radio terminal apparatuscomprising: a radio receiver that receives a signal including one orboth of user information and a signaling signal; a radio transmitterthat transmits a signal including one or both of user information and asignaling signal; an RLC section that is connected to the radio receiverand the radio transmitter and that outputs a signaling signal, generatedby the radio terminal apparatus, to the radio transmitter fortransmission periodically; a protocol processor that sets a radiointerface based on the received signal, provided by the radio receivervia the RLC section, and reports a suspension of transmission of thesignaling signal to the RLC section, wherein: while communication is inprogress, the radio transmitter transmits a transmission signal in whichthe signaling signal is inserted in the user information; and while aradio characteristics test is in progress, the RLC section suspendstransmitting the signaling signal in response to the report from theprotocol processor and the radio transmitter transmits the transmissionsignal comprising the user information alone at a fixed transmissionpower.
 2. The radio terminal apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a loopback section that receives a measurement signalcomprising the user information transmitted from a test apparatus andtransmits said measurement signal in loopback.
 3. A test apparatus thatperforms a radio characteristics test of a radio terminal apparatus in aCDMA mobile communication system, said radio terminal apparatuscomprising an RLC section that controls the order of data transmissionand data reception on a radio channel, transmits a signaling signalperiodically, and, while communication is in progress, transmits signalsapplying different transmission powers according to the presence orabsence of the signaling signal and user information, said testapparatus comprising: a controller that sets a radio interface for theradio terminal apparatus before the radio characteristics test starts; ameasurement signal generator that generates a measurement signal for usein the radio characteristics test and for transmission to the radioterminal apparatus; and a measurement signal determiner that receivesthe measurement signal transmitted in loopback from the radio terminaland performs a radio characteristics evaluation based on the receivedmeasurement signal, wherein while the radio characteristics test is inprogress, the controller instructs the radio terminal apparatus tosuspend transmitting a signaling signal and transmit a transmissionsignal comprising user information alone at a fixed transmission power.4. The test apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said radio terminalapparatus is connected by wireless to the radio terminal apparatus via aradio interface and the controller sends the instruction to suspendtransmission of the signaling signal via radio.
 5. The test apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein the test apparatus is connected by wire tothe radio terminal apparatus and the controller sends the instruction tosuspend transmission of the signaling signal via wire.
 6. A radiotransmission characteristics test method for use in a radio terminalapparatus that comprises an RLC section that controls the order of datatransmission and data reception on a radio channel and that transmits aSTATUS_PDU periodically, and, while communication is in progress,transmits signals applying different transmission powers according tothe presence or absence of the signaling signal and user information,said method comprising: transmitting a request for wireless connectionfrom a test apparatus; receiving an RRC CONNECTION SETUP request fromthe test apparatus; reporting completion of an RRC CONNECTION SETUP tothe test apparatus; and subsequently performing a radio transmissioncharacteristics test, wherein: receiving the RRC CONNECTION SETUPrequest comprises receiving a request for a suspension of transmissionof the STATUS_PDU; and performing the radio transmission characteristicstest comprises transmitting user information alone at a fixedtransmission power without transmitting the STATUS_PDU.
 7. The radiotransmission characteristics test method according to claim 6, whereinperforming the radio transmission characteristics test comprisesreceiving and transmitting in loopback a measurement signal comprisinguser information from the test apparatus.